Karl Friedrich Wilhelm von Schmettau
Command Ratings
Commands
- Commands the Third Division of Prussian Army at Auerstadt (1806, age 63)
Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Graf von Schmettau was a Prussian officer who attained the rank of Generalleutnant and was also employed in topographical and cartographical work. Born in Berlin, he entered the Brandenburg Ritterakademie in 1752 and joined the Prussian Army on 1 October 1756 as a Gefreitenkorporal in Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 34. He was commissioned Fähnrich the same month and served in the Seven Years’ War, being present at Breslau, Leuthen, and Torgau; he was wounded at Hochkirch. He became Seconde-Lieutenant in 1758 and later Premier-Lieutenant (1762). In 1762 he was appointed adjutant to Prince Ferdinand of Prussia.
Schmettau advanced to Stabshauptmann (1772), was transferred to the King’s Suite (1778), and was made Brigademajor of cavalry in July 1778. He served at the opening of the War of the Bavarian Succession, but took his Demission in September 1778. During the following years he produced extensive surveys and map compilations, and he published military writings, including Mémoires raisonnées sur la campagne de 1778 en Bohême (1789). In 1787 he returned to Prussian service as an Oberst and worked on state mapping and reconnaissance tasks, but he again left service in 1790. At the outbreak of the First Coalition War in 1792 he offered to return to active duty; this was not accepted.
After the accession of Frederick William III, Schmettau re-entered Prussian service on 1 December 1797 as a Generalmajor and resumed work connected with the reconnaissance of defensive positions, including in Silesia. He received the Swedish Schwertorden in 1798. He was promoted to Generalleutnant in 1799 and received the Prussian Roter Adlerorden in 1805. In the preparations preceding the Fourth Coalition War he was placed on the field establishment in September 1805, ordered to the Prussian General Staff in October 1805, and employed in command assignments connected with Prussian forces in Hesse.
In 1806 Schmettau was given divisional command and was among the signatories of a memorandum (Denkschrift) of 2 September 1806 urging war. On 14 October 1806, during the Battle of Auerstedt, he commanded the advance guard (Vorhut) of the Duke of Brunswick’s army. He was wounded early in the fighting during the attack at Hassenhausen, was evacuated to Weimar, and died there on 18 October 1806. He was buried in Weimar (Jacobsfriedhof). In 1804 he had purchased Schloss Köpenick near Berlin, which remained in his possession until his death.
Sources
XX 06 Auerstadt (KIA)